For over 55 years, Queen of the Valley Medical Center has served the greater Napa Valley area as the region’s largest, most comprehensive health care facility. Our reputation for excellence, on par with well-known university hospitals, consistently attracts high caliber health care professionals. Backed by state-of-the-art facilities and leading edge technology, our outstanding medical team ensures Napa Valley residents the best care possible close to home.

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Queen of the Valley Medical Center has been serving Napa Valley residents since being founded in 1958. Our staff is highly trained and is of the highest caliber – led by award-winning physicians and nurses. We are backed by cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities, which when paired with our distinguished doctors, allows us to provide the best possible medical care close to home.

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Our range of advanced specialty services is comparable in quality and scope to those offered by university and urban-based hospitals, and our accreditation and outcomes ratings are as high as or higher than those of major Bay Area teaching hospitals.
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Queen of the Valley Foundation was established in 1969 by a group of local residents who wanted to ensure ongoing, locally managed support for quality medical care in our community. They knew that a financially healthy Medical Center was vital to the future of the place they called home.

Our long history of providing high quality and caring service is founded on four core values: Dignity, Service, Excellence and Justice. These four central principles inspire us to reach out to those in need and to help heal the whole person -- mind, body and spirit.

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Laparoscopy

Discharge Instructions for Pelvic Laparoscopy

You had a procedure called pelvic laparoscopy. During this procedure, your doctor used small incisions in your abdomen to examine your abdominal or pelvic organs and possibly to perform a procedure. Recovery from laparoscopy is faster than from regular open abdominal surgery (called laparotomy).

What to Expect

Remember, you can expect the following:

Light bleeding from the vagina

Soreness, bruising, and mild swelling near incisions

Burning with urination for a few days

Some abdominal and shoulder pain

Constipation

Feeling tired, especially for the first 24 hours you are home

Activity

Take it easy for the rest of the day after you are discharged. Each day, do a little more as you feel able.

Don't stay in bed. Get up and move around.

Don't drive for 7 days.

Avoid strenuous activity for 2 weeks.

Incision and Other Care

Put nothing in your vagina for 2 weeks.

Take pain medications as directed.

Don't drink alcohol while on pain medications.

Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen peas in a plastic bag; then cover with a thin cloth. Place it over the bandaged incision area for no longer than 20 minutes at a time. Do this as needed to reduce pain and keep swelling down.

Don't pull off the strips of tape (Steri-Strips) used to close your incisions. Let them fall off on their own.

If you have a gauze bandage, replace it after 24 hours.

Shower as needed. If you still have a bandage, cover it with plastic wrap to keep it dry.

Don't swim or take a tub bath for 2 weeks.

Follow-Up

Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.

When to Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:

Increased abdominal pain

Vomiting or nausea

Diarrhea that doesn't go away

Fever above 100.1°F

Shaking chills

Signs of infection around the incision (redness, drainage, warmth, pain)